Mayra's favorite things

Monday, October 8, 2007
Prewrite
1. What are you good at?
I am good at swimming .
2. How do you feel when you're doing the thing you're good at?
I feel very good.
3. How would you feel if people wouldn't let you do the thing you're good at?
I would feel very anger and depress.

Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Chapter 1
1. What problems or conflicts are presented in chapter one? Tao needing to find a rabbit is an obvious one; identify at least two more.
Tao needs to find food for him and his herd.Another problem is that he whats to become a painter ,but no one whats him to be.
2. Predict the resolution of each conflict.
I think he is going to find food later on while he goes searching for the rabbit. For the other problem he might just painting no matter what people thought because he loves it.


Chapter 2
What two important events happen in this chapter?
One important that happened was when the wolf went to Tao for help.Another event was when he went to the forsaken place.


Chapter 3
1. What do Tao and Ram learn to do together?
Tao and Ram learned how to hunt together.

2. What decision does Tao tell Volt?
Tao tells Volt that he is going hunt on his own.

3. Look at Tao's decisions and actions from Volt's perspective. Pretend you are Volt. Write a first person paragraph explaining how you feel.
I am Volt and I am very angry at Tao because I am the leader and he does not follow my orders.Also because he does not hunt that well and we are all starving.


Chapter 4
In a good paragraph, describe Tao's mother. Start with an interest grabber. Then write your topic sentence. Give three details or examples to support your thesis. Use a quotation from the chapter.
Imagine life without a mother,how would it feel? Tao's mother sound like a kind person. The kind of mother that will take care of you and give you food no matter what. "She sat in a corner of Big Cave, holding you to her breast, keeping you warm, rocking back and forth ,singing.Tao's mother is a very good because she fought for Tao life so nobody can kill him, she sacrificed her life for him.She died saving him....

Chapter 5
1. Which two animals does Tao try to draw?
Tao tried to draw a horse and Ram
2. Which is easier for him and why?
Ram is probably easier to draw because Tao sees him more then other animals and really feels the image.

Chapter 6
1. Graybeard realizes that Tao has broken two taboos of his clan. What are they?
The two taboos that Tao has broken are he hunts with a wolf dog and goes to the slough.
2. Which taboo doesn't he know about yet?
Graybeard doesn't know that Tao paints on caves.
3. Graybeard describes Volt differently than we have. What aspects of Volt's character is Graybeard acknowledging?
Graybeard says that Volt is a good man.

Chapter 7
Write your reaction to the last paragraph in the chapter. Do you agree or disagree with Graybeard? Is what he says true for those times, but not now? Or, is the reverse true: was it not true then, but true now?
I agree with Graybeard then and now because you still have to follow the rules and we still have some art taboos in our community like Graffiti.

Chapter 8
An important theme in this novel is that people should follow their dreams and do what they believe is right, even if they don't follow their society's expected ways.
The author examines this theme in a stone age setting. Imagine a similar situation today.
What situation did you imagine?
I imagine a wife and a husband who both want to go to the army ,but they have a baby and the society thinks that the women should stay home and take care of their child.
I think she follow the society because I can't imagine a children's life without his or her mother.

In the situation you imagined, should the person follow his or her dreams or should they follow society's rules? Give your opinion.

Chapter 9
Why do you think Graybeard changed his mind?
I think Graybeard changed his mind because he saw how Tao really wanted to become a painter and wasn't gonna use it for evil.
What does this tell you about his character?
This tells me that Graybeard is a very kind and wise person that understands Tao and his dream.

Chapter 10
1. What are the "mountains-that-walk"?
I think that the mountains-that-walk are a giant herd of cows,bulls,and probably many more animals.
2. What almost happened to Tao?
Tao almost died when the mountain-that-walk came bye him,but Ram saved his life.

Chapter 11
Do you think Graybeard is a good teacher? Why?
I think Graybeard is a good teacher because he has done paintings for a long time ,so he can teach many things.
Would you like to have been taught a skill by him? Why?
Yes I would want to be taught by Graybeard because he sounds like a guy who will teach you many things and makes you feel good about yourself.

Chapter 12
1. Name some of the ingredients used to make paint. Which surprised you most?
Some of the ingredients use to make paint are :fish,oil,animal fat,eggs,honey,and blood.
What surprised me the most was the blood because for me it would be kinda weird to touch an animal's blood.
2. Why is Tao afraid at the end of the chapter?
At the end of the chapter Tao is afraid that Graybeard was dieing.
Chapter 13
1. Even if Ram had succeeded in hunting the deer, do you think it was a good idea of Tao's to "show off" his dog's ability to hunt? Explain.
I thought it was a bad idea because Volt hates wolf dogs no matter what because he thinks they are demons.
2. Predict what will happen next. If you've read ahead, invent an alternate scene.
I think that Ram and Tao go to the mountain people.
Chapter 14
1. Why does Tao cross the river?
Tao crosses the river because he thought Ram was in trouble so he went to get him.
2. What decision does Graybeard reach?
Graybeard descides he will let Tao paint the images of the great bull on the wall of the secret cavern.
Chapter 15
What problem does Tao have by the end of the chapter?
In the end of the chapter, Tao is going to the secret Cavern, but theres a part where he doesn't even know where hes going.
Chapter 16
Look at the website of the Laxcaux Caves: http://www.culture.gouv.fr/culture/arcnat/lascaux/en/ Find a picture that resembles the one Tao is painting. Copy it as your answer to this question.
1g203.jpg

Chapter 17
Wow! What a chapter! What was your reaction? Tense? Surprised? You predicted it? Write a paragraph describing your reaction.
My reaction to this chapter was really surprised because I found out that Volt was Tao's father and also that Graybeard that died.
It was really surprising and sad to me.

Chapter 18
Why does Tao feel he needs to go to the Mountain People?
I think Tao feels like he has to go to the mountain people because he needs to follow Graybeard's footsteps and paint in the caves.


Extra Credit
Write a narrative describing what happens next. Make sure your plot has a conflict, a climax, and a resolution. You can introduce new characters if you want.